Excerted from K. Radaad, 2006:

Actions of ginseng -

WHOLE BODY
- Resistance against adverse conditions (physical, chemical, and biological factors)
- Restores body’s homeostasis
- Anti-aging effects

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Potentiates nerve growth factor
- Anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic mechanisms
- Reduces lipid peroxidation
- Inhibits excitotoxicity and Ca2+ over-influx into neurons
- Maintains cellular ATP levels
- Preserves structural integrity of neurons
- Prevents astroglial swelling
- Inhibits microglial respiratory burst activity and NO production by activated microglia
- Modulates neurotransmission
- Direct effect on hippocampal neurons


CARDIOVASCULAR
- Relaxes vascular smooth muscle cells through NO and Ca2+ mediated mechanisms
- Inhibits production of endothelin which plays a role in blood vessel constriction
- Prevents platelet aggregation
- Shows antagonistic action for platelet activity factor
- Suppresses thrombin formation
- Promotes functional neovascularization through endothelial proliferation

INFLAMMATION AND ALLERGY
- Inhibits cytokine production such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-
- Abrogates cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression
- Suppresses histamine and leukotrienes release from mast cells
- Stabilizes inflammatory cells such as neutrophils and lymphocytes
- Antifibroblastic activity

IMMUNE SYSTEM
- Enhances interferon induction, phagocytosis, natural killer cells, and B and T cells

CARCINOGENESIS
- Suppresses malignant transformation
- Inhibits proliferation of tumor cells
- Inhibits tumor invasiveness, metastasis, and angiogenesis

APHRODISIAC EFFECT
- Relaxes corpus cavernosum smooth muscles via NO mediated processes
- Increases serum testosterone levels and reduces plasma levels of prolactin hormone
- Direct effects on anterior pituitary and hypothalamic dopaminergic mechanisms

HYPERGLYCEMIA
- Increases plasma insulin levels, number of insulin receptors and insulin sensitivity